Concrete structural member



April 25, 1933- H. w. SCHLUETER 1,906,108

CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed May 26. 1931 Henry 141 5c /uefer;

A TTORNEX Patented Apr. 25, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HENRY w. SC'HLUETER, or BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBER.

Application filed May 26,

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a concrete structural member or beam which may be used either in longitudinal or upright position and so constructed that it may'bereadily secured in place and may have:other structural members secured thereto in a simple and efficient manner.-

It is an object of the invention to provide a reinforced structural member having depressions in one or more of the faces thereof and bars extending into these depressions from the body of the beam in a manner to form eyes by which a plurality of structural members may be tied together or structural members of other, types may be secured thereto. y i

A further object of my invention is to provide a structural beam of the above character having longitudinal and circumferential or peripheral reinforcing members therein, parts of the reinforcing members extending across the depressions in a manner to form eyes which may be used for tying purposes.

In the preferred form of my invention the structural member is made of rectangular cross section, and longitudinal reinforcing bars are extended within the corners thereof. Looped around the longitudinal reinforcing bars are lateral or peripheral reinforcing members which extend across longitudinal grooves formed in one or more of the faces of the structural member, thereby forming in said grooves eyes which may be employed for tying purposes. This reinforced structural member has a wide variety of uses. It is simple and economical in construction, and therefore its use does not entail great expense. In houses it may be employed as a sleeper or foundation member in direct engagement with damp soil. It is particularly adapted to use as a floor joist and as studding for houses or buildings constructed in regions infested by termites. The simple securing or tying means which I have provided therewith enables other structural v=22 and 23 I have shown other tie wires at- 1931. Serial No. 540,051.

members to be thereto. 7

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident throughout the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a beam embodying my invention and illustrating a manner of its use.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing a beam before its removal from a mold in which it has been cast.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing a simple type of casting mold which may be employed in the manufacture of the concrete structural member. v

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the beamon a plane represented by the line le-4 of F ig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view showing an alternative form in which'my invention may be practiced. y

The simple form of my invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises an elongated body or beam 11 cast from concrete. This beam is of rectangular cross section and has grooves 12 extending longitudinally so as to provide depressions or channels in the side and top faces thereof. Extending longitudinally in the; corners 13 of the beam '11 are longitudinal quickly and securely fastened reinforcing bars 14:, and extending between the bars 14 in positions close to the periphery of the beam 11 are members 15 which extend across the grooves 12 in planes spaced from the bottoms 16 of the grooves so that openings or eyes 17 exist between the members 15,the bottoms 16, and the sloping side walls .18 of the grooves 12.

- By'dotted lines 20 I have shown a beam oro timber resting on the upper face of the structural member and-show the manner in which the beam 20 may be secured by extending tie wires 21 tlrereover and through the eyes or I openings 17 formed by the members 15 which i are specifically indicated as 15. In such a useof the beam 11 it may serve as a stringer or girder for supporting joists, such as indicated by the dotted lines 20. Bydotted lines tached through eyes 17, such tie wires being employed for bracing. Where a plurality of the means are employed in cast concrete ceiling or floor construction, reinforcing mesh may be tied into the openings or eyes 17 formed in the side grooves or depressions 12, and the forms for casting the floor slabs may also be tied in place.

In Fig. 2 a simple manner of casting the structural member is shown, this view also showing the manner in which lateral or peripheral reinforcing members 24 are placed relative to the longitudinal reinforcing bars 14 so as to be included in the beam structure and to cross the depressions or grooves 12 in a manner to form the members 15 and 15. In the mold structure shown in Fig. 2, a bottom member 25 and side members 26 are employed which are supported on stringers 27. Upwardly from the bottom member 25 and inwardly from the side members 26, ribs 28 project, these ribs having the configuration of the grooves or channels 12 and having notches 30 cut laterally thereacross at spaced intervals down the length of the ribs 28, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The peripheral reinforcing members 24 each have side parts or members 15 which are bent upwardly from the ends of a bottom part or member 15. The upper ends of the side parts 15 are bent inwardly over the upper pair of reinforcing bars 14, as indicated at 31, and the lower rounded corners 32 formed by the meeting of the parts or members 15 and 15 extend around and under the lower pair of longitudinal reinforcing bars 14. As shown in Fig. 2, the members 24 are received in the notches 30 and are thereby held in proper position and spacing. The concrete when poured into the mold fills the interior thereof and also forms outwardly projecting, tapering wedge portions or webs 83 in the inner ends of the notches 30, which wedge portions have the general appearance shown in Fig. 4. By application of a tool or bar 35, as shown in Fig. 4, the webs 33 may be knocked out so as to form openings or eyes 17 between the members 15 and 15 and the inner walls 16 of the depressions 12. These webs 33 may be knocked out at any time that the need for an eye for tying purposes arises. The structural member is cast in inverted position, the face or wall 37 thereof being the bottom of the structural member when the structural member is employed as a sleeper, stringer, joist, or girder.

In Fig. 5 I show how a concrete beam 50 embodying the invention may be made of quadrilateral form with depressions or channels 51 substantially centralized in all four faces thereof. In this form of the invention longitudinal reinforcing bars 52 are extended in the corners of the beam 50, and peripheral reinforcing members 53 are looped around the reinforcing bars 52 so that intermediate 2 portions 54 extend across the grooves or depressions 51 so as to form eyes or openings 55. Where a structural member having char acteristics such as disclosed herein is to be used under heavy bending stresses, the central body 56 thereof may be additionally reinforced against shear and flexure by use of longitudinally extending bars 57, it being understood that the beam may be engineered in accordance with accepted reinforced con crete principles of design.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in simple and practical form, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may be used in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially the same results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the following claim.

I claim as my invention:

A concrete structural member of the class described comprising a body of concrete hav- (9O ing a plurality of surfaces and a longitudinal channel formed in each of said surfaces, a longitudinal reinforcing means placed in said body adjacent the juncture of adjacent surfaces, and lateral reinforcing bars engaging said longitudinal reinforcing means and extending across said channels.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 22d day of May, 1931.

HENRY W. SCHLUETER. 

